The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai is the sole U.S. consular presence outside Bangkok. The original Consulate was established in Chiang Mai in 1950 and was upgraded to a Consulate General in 1986. In addition to Department of State employees, staff from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Air Force's Technical Application Center are stationed in Chiang Mai associated with the Consulate; the Centers for Disease Control operates a field station in Chiang Rai. Approximately a dozen Peace Corps Volunteers work in northern Thailand, primarily in projects concerning education.